Roll removal and shaft handling apparatus and method for rewinder



Oct. 21, 1969 A. M. MERRILL ETAL ROLL REMOVAL AND SHAFT HANDLING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REWINDER Filed May 31, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. ALAN M. MERRILL ROBERT J CIESLIK ATTORNEY.

Oct. 21, 1969 MERRlLL ET AL 3,473,748

ROLL REMOVAL AND SHAFT HANDLING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REWINDER Filed May 31, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. ALAN M. MERRILL ROBERT J. CIESLIK AT TORNE? United States Patent 3,473,743 ROLL REMOVAL AND SHAFT HANDLING APPA- RATUS AND METHOD FOR REWWDER Alan M. Merrill, Claymont, Dei., and Robert J. Cieslilr, Drexel Hill, Pa, assiguors to Scott Paper Company, Delaware County, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 31, 1967, Ser. No. 642,516 Int. Cl. B65h 75/02 U.S. Cl. 24255 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus are disclosed for removing winder shafts from wound web rolls and for repositioning them on a winder to commence the winding of a new web roll thereon. In the method, a Winder shaft, which has been withdrawn by a shaft puller from a mound web roll disposed on a roll transfer table spaced from the roll removal end of the winder, is moved by the shaft puller to a position nearer to the winder and inserted into a receiving pocket in the roll transfer table, the receiving pocket being adjacent the roll removal end of the winder. The Winder shaft is axially inserted into the receiving pocket below the roll carrying surface of the roll transfer table and does not pass through the roll carrying surface. The winder shaft is released by the receiving pocket directly onto shaft injection means which are adapted to elevate the shaft into a position for insertion onto the winder when the roll transfer table is temporarily spaced from the roll removal end of the winder during the handling of a successive wound web roll. Roll cores are conveniently placed in the receiving pocket and gripped thereby for facilitating the recording of a winder shaft which generally occurs during axially insertion of the winder shaft into the receiving pocket.

The apparatus disclosed involves a roll transfer table adapted to receive a wound web roll from a winder or rewinder. The roll transfer table has a receiving pocket beneath the roll supporting surface thereof and adjacent its edge nearest the end of the winder. The roll transfer table is tiltable through a plurality of positions in which the wound web roll is received upon the table, the winder shaft is withdrawn from the wound web roll, the Wound web roll is removed from the roll transfer table, the winder shaft is inserted into the receiving pocket, preferably into roll cores carried in the receiving pocket, and the cored winder shaft is returned to the winder to com mence the winding of a new web roll. A shaft puller is positioned alongside the roll transfer table and arranged to withdraw a winder shaft from a wound web roll on the roll transfer table, to move a winder shaft toward the roll removal end of the winder and axially insert it into the receiving pocket of the roll transfer table. Preferably, the receiving pocket and transfer table are arranged relative to the shaft puller so that the Winder shaft may be inserted into the receiving pocket while the transfer table is in its roll removal position. The receiving pocket is adapted to release the winder shaft carn'ed therein directly onto shaft injection means disposed between the winder and the roll transfer table. The shaft injection means are arranged to elevate the winder shaft into a position for insertion upon the winder when the roll transfer table is spaced from the winder during the handling of a successive wound web roll and winder shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to roll removal and shaft handling in a winder and, more particularly, to a method "ice and apparatus for removing winder shafts from wound web rolls and repositioning them to commence the windin g of a new roll thereon.

Description of the prior art In the past, wound web rolls carrying winder shafts therein have been removed from the winder or rewinder and have been transferred to a roll transfer table adjacent the roll removal end of the winder. The winder shaft has been axially withdrawn from the wound web roll by a shaft puller disposed alongside the roll transfer table. The wound Web roll has then been removed for subsequent processing to a receiving table adjacent the end of the roll transfer table opposite the winder from which it has been transferred. The return of the winder shaft to the winder to commence the winding of a new web roll thereon has been accomplished by a variety of methods as described below.

In removing a winder shaft from a wound web roll and returning it to a winder, travel in several directions is required. In the past, roll transfer tables have been movable vertically and sometimes horizontally and have had some movable portions articulated for causing rolling movement of the web roll thereon from one point to another, such as from the point where the shaft is removed to a position on the roll receiving table. Because of different winder machine heights, oftentimes the entire roll transfer table is lowered from a position where a web r011 containing a winder shaft is received from a winder to a position Where a winder shaft is engaged by a shaft puller and axially withdrawn from the web roll, and again raised when the winder shaft is deposited on the roll transfer table by the shaft puller after withdrawal from the wound roll and prior to return to the winder.

Obviously, the above movement requires a large number of heavy-duty actuation devices. It is tremendously complicated and expensive to provide means for lifting the entire roll transfer table assembly including the roll and winder shaft supported thereon. Furthermore, there are many plant installations where the use of actuating devices below the floor level is not possible or practicable due to existing lant construction. It is prohibitive in most instances to elevate the entire existing winder to accommodate the roll removal apparatus presentlyavailable.

Movement of the winder shaft in a horizontal direction toward the winder from the point where the winder shaft is withdrawn from the wound web roll is also required and has been accomplished in several ways. In some instances, the winder shaft is inserted into a recess in the upper sur face from which it is removed for positioning on a winder after the passage of a successive Wound web roll over the roll supporting surface of the roll transfer table and over the recess receiving the winder shaft.

One of the problems associated with this prior art apparatus has been the inefficient and extremely dangerous handling of the relatively heavy winder shaft, which sometimes is on the order of several thousand pounds, to return it from the transfer table to winding position on a winder. In some instances, the roll transfer table has been inclined toward the winder and the shaft has been manually rolled down the table and onto the winder. Obviously such a procedure involves considerable risk of injur to the workers. Makeshift mechanical mechanisms employed in the past to control the movement of the winder shaft from the recess in the roll carrying surface of the roll transfer table onto the Winder have not been entirely satisfactory as considerable time and effort by an operator have been involved in accomplishing the transfer. Furthermore, the web roll removed from the winder normally cannot be handled until the shaft in the recess has been transferred to the winder, thus lengthening the cycle time of the operation. In addition, movement of the relatively heavy wound web roll over the recess containing a winder shaft can result in damage to at least the outer web layers of the roll due to temporary support of the roll on the edges of the recess.

In summary, in spite of the complexity of roll handling equipment employed in the past and the extensive mechanical handling of the wound web roll and the winder shaft, no method or apparatus has been devised for mechanically returning a winder shaft to a winder after removal from a wound web roll.

In view of the above-mentioned difiiculties and shortcomings, it is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for facilitating the removal of winder shafts from wound web rolls and their reposition on a winder to commence the winding of a new web roll thereon.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will becomes apparent from the detailed description below.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the method of the invention, the winder shaft and the wound web roll carried thereon are transferred from a web winding position on a winder to an adjacent roll transfer table having a roll supporting surface disposed in its roll receiving position. The roll transfer table carrying the winder shaft and the wound web roll is moved to a winder shaft removal position. The winder shaft is axially withdrawn from the wound web roll by a shaft puller while the wound web roll is supported upon the roll transfer table. The winder shaft is held on the shaft puller while the wound web roll is removed from the roll transfer table. The shaft puller and the winder shaft held thereby are moved toward the winder to a shaft insertion position where the winder shaft may be inserted into a receiving pocket below the roll supporting surface of the roll transfer table and adjacent the end of the roll supporting surface which is adjacent the winder when the transfer table is in its roll receiving position. The roll transfer table is moved into a shaft receiving position after which the winder shaft is axially inserted into the receiving pocket by means of the shaft puller. The roll supporting surface of the roll transfer table is returned to its roll receiving position adjacent the winder. The winder shaft is then deposited upon injector means disposed adjacent the winder and beneath the edge of the roll supporting surface. Finally, the winder shaft is elevated for insertion into web winding position upon the winder by means of the injector means after the roll transfer table has received a successive wound web roll from the winder and is temporarily withdrawn from its roll receiving position adjacent the winder. In most instances, an empty roll core is inserted into the receiving pocket prior to axial insertion of the winder shaft. It is gripped within the receiving pocket while the winder shaft is axially inserted.

In the apparatus of the invention, a roll transfer table is included which has a roll transfer surface and a roll removal surface which intersect so as to form a cradle for retaining a wound web roll received from a winder. The roll transfer table has a receiving pocket adjacent the edge nearest to the winder and beneath the roll transfer surface. The roll transfer table is tiltable from a first position in which the roll transfer surface is substantially horizontal for receiving a wound web roll from the winder, to a second position in which the roll removal surface is substantially horizontal, through at least one intermediate position in which the winder shaft is removed from the wound web roll. A shaft puller is disposed adjacent one side of the roll transfer table and mounted for movement alongside the roll transfer table at least from the position of a winder shaft disposed in a wound web roll when said roll transfer table is in an intermediate position for removal of the winder shaft from the wound web roll to a position where a winder shaft is inserted into the receiving pocket when the roll transfer table is in another position. Shaft injection means are disposed between the winder andthe roll transfer table and are adapted to receive a shaft from the receiving pocket and to elevate it for insertion upon the winder when the roll transfer table is tilted out of the first position and away from the winder. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the winder shaft is inserted into the receiving pocket when the roll transfer table is at the second position described above and while the wound web roll is being removed from the roll removal surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 are side elevation views of an paratus of the invention progressively showing sequentlai positions of elements of the apparatus during its operation when carrying out the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, a web roll 10 is positioned on a drum-type paper roll winder 11 including a pair or roll winding drums 12 and 13 rotatable about substantially horizontal parallel axes, the drums being driven by a suitable source of power (not shown). The drums 12 and 13 cooperatively support thereon the paper web roll 10 formed of successive layers of paper wound about a core 14 peripherally enclosing a winder shaft 15. During winding the ends of winder shaft 15 are normally rotatably carried upon a hydraulic supporting mechanism (not shown) which supports an increasing proportion of the combined weight of the wound roll 10 and the winder shaft 15 during the progess of the wind. In this manner, the nip pressures between the paper roll 10 and the roll winding drums 12 and 13 remain substantially constant thereby preventing physical damage to the paper during winding due to the weight of the roll 10.

Winding drums 12 and 13 are rotatably carried on .1 base 16 having an upstanding extension 17 along the roll removal end of winder 11. The upstanding extension 17 is surmounted by an apron 18 which serves to support a wound web roll 10 being removed from the winding drums 12 and 13 of the winder 11. The base 16 of the winder 11 has a pair of spaced injector arms, indicated generally by reference numeral 20. Each injector arm 20 includes a piston 21 carried in a cylinder 22 which is attached to the base 16 at the roll removal end of winder 11. The piston 21 has a shaft retaining flange 23 on the upper end thereof which is adapted to carry one end of the winder shaft 15. Another piston 24 is pivotably attached to cylinder 22 and disposed within a cylinder 25 pivotably attached to base 16. Means (not shown) are provided for supplying fluid pressure to cylinders 22 and 25 to actuate pistons 21 and 24 in a predetermined manner.

Piston 24 is arranged for generally horizontal movement and is adapted to move piston 21 away from base 16 as piston 21 moves upward carrying a winder shaft 15 in retaining flange 23. When the winder shaft 15 is elevated to the height of apron 18, the piston 24 and cylinder 25 coact to draw piston 21 and retaining flange 23 quickly toward base 16 so that the winder shaft 15 carried thereon is rolled off of flange 23 transferred across apron 18, and into winding position upon drums 12 and 13 of winder 11.

A roll transfer table, indicated generally by reference number 26, is disposed adjacent the winder 11. The roll transfer table 26 serves to support a wound web roll 10 while the winder shaft 15 is removed therefrom. It also assists in returning the winder shaft 15 to the winder 11 by depositing the winder shaft 15 on injector arms 20 when received from a shaft puller to be described.

Roll transfer table 26 includes a roll transfer surface 27 and a roll removal surface 28. The surfaces 27 and 28 are arranged at an angle to one another so that they intersect along a line, forming a cradle for retaining a wound web roll therein. The roll transfer table 18 also includes frame members 30 and 31 which are attached to surfaces 27 and 28 and are pivotally attached to a pedestal 32 by a shaft 33, allowing their pivotal movement about the rotational axis of shaft 33. A hydraulic cylinder 34 and piston 35 are provided for tilting roll transfer table 26 through a number of positions about the rotational axis of shaft 33. Piston 35 is pivotably attached to a frame 36 beneath roll transfer surface 27, and cylinder 34 is pivotably attached to a base plate 37 to which pedestal 32 is also secured. The edge 38 of roll transfer surface 27 of roll transfer table 26 nearest the winder 11 extends beyond the edge of base 16 and rests upon apron 18 when the roll transfer table 26 is in its roll receiving position as shown in FIGURE 1.

A first clamp member 40 is secured to the underside of roll transfer surface 27 of transfer table 26 adjacent the winder 11. A second clamp member 41 is pivotably attached to the first clamp member 40 and also to one end of a hydraulic cylinder 42, the other end of which is pivotably attached to the frame member 30. Upon actuation of hydraulic cylinder 42, second clamp member 41 is moved toward first clamp member 40 to form a shaft receiving pocket 43 into which a winder shaft 15 may be inserted and gripped. The disposition of the shaft receiving pocket 43 beneath roll transfer surface 27 is such that when the roll transfer table 26 is in its roll receiving position, as shown in FIGURE 1, a winder shaft 15 carried in the shaft receiving pocket 43 may be placed upon shaft retaining flanges 23 of injector arms 20 for subsequent elevation and insertion onto the winder 11.

A shaft puller, indicated generally by reference numeral 44, is disposed alongside the roll transfer table 26 and mounted for movement upon wheels 45 along ways 46 in response to a cog drive (not shown). The ways 46 are aligned generally perpendicular to the tilt axis of the roll transfer table 26 so that shaft puller 44 travels along one side of roll transfer table 26. The ways 46 extend along the roll transfer table 26 for a distance at least equal to the distance between the point where a winder shaft 15 is withdrawn from a wound web roll and the point where a winder shaft is inserted into the receiving pocket 43. The shaft puller 44 may be of the type disclosed by US. Patent 2,736,507, issued Feb. 28, 1956 to Neese et al. The shaft puller 44 includes a movable chain (not shown) looped about two spaced rotatable sprockets (not shown) and having a plurality of dogs 47 disposed therealong which are adapted to engage a peripheral flange on the through-extending end of a winder shaft 15 when the chain is moved along its path. Upon continued movement of the chain, the shaft 15 is withdrawn from a wound web roll 10 to a position laterally disposed relative to roll transfer table 26.

The roll transfer table 26 is moveable in a tilting manner about rotational axis of shaft 33 from a roll receiving position shown in FIGURE 1 where the roll transfer surface 27 is substantially horizontal and on a level with apron 18 allowing a wound web roll 10 to be transferred from the winder 11 to the roll transfer table 26. The roll transfer table 26 can also be moved or tilted to a position Where the roll removal surface 28 is substantially horizontal in which position the wound Web roll 10 which has had its winder shaft 15 removed can be transferred to an adjacent receiving table 48 and disposed against a stop 50. Roll removal surface 28 has a hinged portion 51 which is adapted to bear against a support member 52 during the final stage of the tilting movement of the roll transfer table 26 to its removal position shown in FIGURE 3. This results in inclination or tilting of the hinged portion 51 of the roll removal surface 28 which causes the Wound web roll 10 to automatically roll off of the roll transfer table 26 and onto the receiving table 48. Roll transfer table 26 can be moved by tilting about the axis of shaft 33 to a number of intermediate positions between the roll receiving position and the roll removal position, such as the shaft removal position shown in FIGURE 2.

The tiltable arrangement of roll transfer table 26 allows a wound web roll 10 carrying a winder shaft 15 to be elevated to the desired height as it is carried along an arc path and held within the cradle formed by roll transfer surface 27 and roll removal surface 28. This permits the through-extending end of a winder shaft 15 to be aligned with the dog 47 on shaft puller 44 regardless of the diameter of the wound web roll, which often varies from about 20 inches to about 7 feet.

In the operation of the apparatus, the roll transfer table 26 containing a wound web roll 10 having a winder shaft 15 therein is tilted to a position where the axis of the winder shaft 15 crosses the horizontal path of the shaft engaging dogs 47 of the shaft puller 44 as it moves along its ways 46. The transfer table 26 is stopped at that position for removal of the winder shaft 15. The tilting movement of the roll transfer table 26 is automatically stopped when the table reaches this position by breaking an electrical control circuit with the through-extending end of the winder shaft 15 which cuts off a photoelectric beam set at the level desired. While the roll transfer table 26 is maintained in this shaft removal position, the shaft puller 44 is advanced along its ways 46 and stopped by a similar electrical control circuit at a position where it is aligned with the through-extending end of the winder shaft 15. After engagement of the peripheral flange on the end of the winder shaft 15 with one of the dogs 47 on the shaft puller chain, and withdrawal of the winder shaft 15 from within the wound roll 10, the roll transfer table 26 is then tilted to its roll removal position shown in FIGURE 3.

In the embodiment shown, roll transfer table 26 is maintained in its removal position while the winder shaft 15 is inserted in the receiving pocket 43. This is accomplished by constructing the receiving pocket 43 in a position so that when the roll transfer table 26 is in its removal position, the receiving pocket 43 is at a height equal to the height of a winder shaft 15 carried on the shaft puller 44. The shaft puller 44 is moved along its ways 46 toward the winder 11 to the point where the winder shaft 15 may be axially inserted into the receiving pocket 43. With different designs and other embodiments, it may be necessary to move the roll transfer table 26 to a fourth position in order to make the receiving pocket 43 coincide with the level of a winder shaft 15 carried on the shaft puller 44.

If a coreless collapsible shaft is used as the winder shaft 15, it is merely inserted into the receiving pocket 43 and transferred to the winding drums 12 and 13. However, if a roll core 14 is utilized, the roll core 14 is inserted into the receiving pocket 43 and gripped between first clamp member 40 and second clamp member 41 before insertion of the winder shaft 15 therein. The core 14 is normally clamped firmly to the winder shaft 15 by clamp ing sleeves or nuts (not shown) threadedly mounted on the ends of the winder shaft 15.

What is claimed is: 1. A method for removing a winder shaft from a Wound web roll and for repositioning it to commence the winding of a new web roll thereon, comprising transferring said winder shaft and the wound web roll carried thereon from a web winding position on a winder along a path perpendicular to the axis of said winder shaft to a winder shaft removal position,

axially withdrawing said winder shaft from said wound web roll,

moving said winder shaft toward said winder along a path parallel to and spaced from said first path and perpendicular to said winder shaft to a shaft insertion position,

axially moving said winder shaft into a position adjacent and parallel to said winder, and

elevating and inserting said winder shaft into said web winding position upon said winder.

2. A method according to claim 1, including the step of axially inserting said Winder shaft into an empty roll core simultaneously with the axial movement of said winder shaft into a position adjacent and parallel to said winder.

3. Apparatus for removing a winder shaft from a wound web roll and for repositioning it to commence the winding of a new web roll thereon, comprising a roll transfer table having two inclined surfaces which intersect so as to form a cradle for retaining a wound web roll received from a winder, said roll transfer table having means defining a shaft receiving pocket adjacent the edge nearest to said winder and beneath the inclined surface nearest to said winder, said roll transfer table including support means adapted to permit rotational movement of said entire roll transfer table through a limited arc path about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of said Winder shaft,

shaft puller disposed adjacent one side of said roll transfer table and mounted for movement in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the rotational References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,507 2/1956 Neese et a1. 242-i5 2,772,838 12/1956 Lenz 242-8l K 2,953,821 9/1960 Ingham 242-68.7 .f 3,131,880 5/1964 Miller et a1 2.42 Bl K 3,231,210 1/1966 Miller 2428l K GEORGE F. MOUTZ, Primary Examiner US. CL. X.R. 

